A bill mandating that police record interviews with juveniles is headed to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for signature.
Introduced by State Rep. Jesse Chism of Memphis and co-sponsored by State Sen. London Lamar, HB 1602 passed on the House floor on Monday, March 5 with bipartisan support. It’s expected to be signed into law.
The bill mandates that an audio or video recording be made during any interrogation of a minor. Chism said the measure offers protection for both the officer and the minor.
“Making sure the interview is recorded will prevent any false claims from being made against our law enforcement officers while at the same time protecting any juveniles from being coerced into a false confession,” Chism said in a statement.
Chism also praised the more than 50 Democratic and Republican representatives signing on as co-sponsors.
“At a time when politics has become increasingly more and more nasty, it’s gratifying to see us all come together on a serious issue like juvenile justice reform and work on passing good legislation,” Chism said.
